GPT-4, Claude, or Gemini? How to Choose the Right AI Model

There are dozens of AI models now. Which one should you use? Let's break down the top options.

OpenAI GPT-4

Best for: General purpose, creative writing, complex reasoning

• Most popular, best ecosystem
• Strong at creative tasks
• Can be expensive at scale
• Good documentation

Anthropic Claude

Best for: Long documents, technical content, safety-critical apps

• Handles 100K+ token contexts
• More "thoughtful" responses
• Great for code and technical writing
• Strong safety guardrails

Google Gemini

Best for: Multimodal tasks, integration with Google services

• Native image/video understanding
• Free tier available
• Still catching up in quality
• Good for Google Workspace integration

Open Source (Llama, Mistral)

Best for: Privacy, customization, cost control at scale

• Self-host for data privacy
• No per-request costs
• Requires technical setup
• Generally lower quality than GPT-4/Claude

How to Decide

Start with GPT-4 if: You want the easiest path with good results

Use Claude if: You need long contexts or technical accuracy

Try Gemini if: You're working with images/video or need free tier

Go open-source if: Privacy is critical or you have high volume

Pro Tip

Don't overthink this. Start with GPT-4 or Claude, ship your MVP, then optimize based on real usage data. Switching models later is usually straightforward.